Hmmm.... I'd argue that in addition to what Bostonian posted, this is actually a problem with high-stakes and low-VALUE summative assessment practices.
It's not the frequency of assessment which is the problem-- it's that mistakes are so COSTLY in some schema.
It's no better to have just two graded assessments for an entire class, really-- because if you have one bad day... well.
Very well said Howler. I have two very different kids, DD doesn't test well and DS does tests well. My DD is where she is because she diligently does all work assigned to her, goes and asks questions of teachers and learns from her mistakes on tests. DS is more aggravating for me because he tests very very well & has even recently gotten a 99% on a final for a class he was barely passing, he is inconstant in homework and quizzes and it costs him. And yes we are working on it and it is getting better but it costs him top grades.
But even for DS16 who does test well, it can take an assessment or two to get used to how a teacher tests. In H.S. the weight of tests vs. homework or other assessments is one of the differences in honors vs. regular H.S. classes. And as a class gets closer to 'college' level work there are fewer assessments. DS's pre-calc class this fall had only 4 tests last semester. While 2nd year Spanish Class has multiple assessments every single week, vocabulary quiz, test of grammar that sort of thing.
I think there is a balance, here is an interesting example. My DD20 took a community college general ed (survey) science course this past summer. It was a whole semester in 8 weeks, 4 days a week so it went fast. The grading scheme was set up so that students who put in the effort but whom math wasn't their strength could still pass the class. On the other hand it was a college class that was mostly graded on tests and would serve good testers like my son well. Teacher assigned homework & reading but it was never graded but he did go over it in class. There was a test every other week, that included the final. Final counted more and you could drop your lowest mid-term grade. Thus in the end the grade was only on 2 mid-terms and the final. Test questions looked a lot like the homework, and it was only partially multiple choice and other questions partial credit was given. There was a lab report was due almost every week, but they were only 20% of the grade. Attendance mattered but only by a small amount, it was more you got points off for missing more than a few classes. The teacher gave out an extra credit project ONLY if you came to him for help. My daughter managed to pass partly by doing the extra credit and by slowly getting better grades on the tests. The attendance grade was a bit odd but I figured out if a student missed all the classes except tests & labs but Aced all the tests they would end up with an A- in the class. Basically missing enough class could cost you a half a grade.
Allowing a student to dropped an assessment is an useful tool. It allows students to have a bad day or make a mistake, or get used to a classes grading style. My son's social studies teacher lets the kids drop one quiz a semester. They choose when taking it and my son did this last week because he read the wrong chapter.
